Authors: Aliyah Burke
Curious about what he was up to, she followed. He stopped and
stepped down onto the silken sand and turned to help her. Holding out his
arms, he waited for her to accept his touch.
Kacy easily stepped into his arms and closed her eyes as he lifted her
with ease to the ground where he was. His hands lingering on her body, she
was in no rush to move his touch from her skin. ―Thank you,‖ she said in a
raspy voice.
―My pleasure. Let‘s go.‖ Ernst laced their fingers and led her down
around a corner of the beach into a small inlet. They found a rock that jetted
out into the water. He walked to the end and sat down. ―Sit here.‖
―What are we doing here?‖ Kacy sat beside him, totally unconcerned
with the amount of leg she was showing.
―Wait,‖ he said in a hushed voice. ―Just watch the water.‖
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Enthralled by the magical tone he had, Kacy did just that. For a few
moments they sat in absolute silence, the waves lapping at the rock and shore
the only noise aside from their shallow breathing.
―There!‖ His sharp whisper made her jump.
Following the line of his finger, Kacy saw a pod of dolphins swim-
ming into the inlet. Four babies that frolicked in the waves. ―Oh, Ernst, look
at them!‖ Her voice was wistful.
She sensed him watching her, but she kept her attention forward. ―It
is a beautiful sight, all right.‖
Taking her eyes off the water creatures, she put them on the man
next to her. ―Thank you for sharing this with me.‖
―There is no one else I could imagine sharing it with,‖ he admitted.
Kacy leaned into him and kissed him. Her full lips gently brushed his
before her tongue slid between his lips. He tasted so good. Drawing away,
she blinked as a blush ran over her body.
Ernst was motionless, dazed. It was a moment before he spoke again.
―You‘re welcome,‖ he rasped even as he pulled her back in close to his body.
They sat together on the rock and watched the dolphins play. One
strong hand ran up and down Kacy‘s exposed arm with her body propped
against his. Eventually, he was holding up more and more of her body. Kacy
Travis had fallen asleep in his arms.
She was so comfortable. Feeling safe and content, she took a deep
breath and slowly opened her copper eyes, which met the cobalt blue of a
masculine shirt. She was sleeping with a man, her body resting fully against
his chest.
Her head was on his shoulder and his body cocooned hers as if she
belonged there. His arms were locked around her warmly and securely.
Flickering around in growing panic, her eyes jerked upward as a rough
baritone voice said, ―Good morning,
liebling
.‖
Kacy froze. The memory of last night came flooding back to her.
Ernst Zimmermann, Navy SEAL, good-looking Caucasian male with whom
she‘d spent the night.
―I have to go,‖ she mumbled, trying to untangle herself from his
warm body as gracefully as she could.
―Are you okay?‖ he asked, concerned as she wobbled on her feet.
Ernst stood and reached for her cautiously.
―F…fi…fine,‖ she stuttered looking everywhere but at him. One
hand nervously brushed her hair away from her face.
―Look at me,‖ Ernst ordered, holding her chin in one hand. Those
eyes of hers shone like polished copper in the early dawn.
―What?‖ Kacy met his gaze even as her hand touched the one he had
on her chin, trying to move it away.
―Why are you so worried?‖ Ernst refused to release his hold, instead
opting to use his free hand to capture hers.
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Aliyah Burke
―I just have to go.‖ Her body told a different story.
―Are you leaving today?‖ His hand moved from her chin to sink into
her thick hair.
―No, I…we leave tomorrow.‖
She saw desire flare in his eyes. ―Spend the day with me,‖ he coaxed
as he kissed the inside of the wrist he held.
―I have plans,‖ she barely managed to say as her knees trembled.
His strong body stepped closer. ―Can you change them?‖
―I don‘t know,‖ Kacy sighed, looking into his amazing eyes.
―Have breakfast with me at least.‖ Ernst leaned in, placed his nose
behind her ear, and kissed her. ―You smell so good.‖
Her hands played with the fabric of his shirt. ―I have to shower and
change.‖
―No, if I let you go now, you‘ll keep on running. Don‘t you want to
spend time with me?‖ His arms encircled her body, bringing their chests
closer.
―Yes,‖ Kacy admitted to the hollow of his throat as her nostrils flared,
carrying his wonderful scent to her.
―Let‘s go eat, or I am going to do what I‘ve wanted to do since I first
touched you.‖ Ernst‘s breath teased her neck.
Swallowing hard she said, ―I still have to change and shower.‖
―We could go swimming right here.‖ His hands caressed over her
hips.
―Not without a swimsuit,‖ Kacy said with a laugh.
―Release your inhibitions, Kacy. We‘re the only ones here. It‘s barely
after five.‖ That thick tongue of his traced over the edge of her ear.
―Trying to get me out of my clothes?‖
―Hell, yeah, as fast as I can,‖ he said immediately before he sucked
her earlobe into his mouth.
Kacy grabbed his waist to steady herself. ―Sweet Jesus,‖ she sighed as
her body grew wet with desire.
―Not the name I want you calling out. Are we swimming?‖ He teased
the lobe with his teeth.
A clenching need began to burn deep in her belly. ―I thought we
were having breakfast,‖ Kacy panted as his right hand slipped under her soft
shirt.
―I‘m about to have mine.‖ Ernst nipped her neck before soothing it
with a stroke of his tongue. His hips bucked against her, letting her know
exactly what he meant.
Koali Cynemon Travis…what the
hell
are you doing with this man? You
know better. You can’t do this.
―No,‖ she mumbled.
Ernst had his hands back on her hips before that one word faded
from the air and he drew back to look at her. ―No, what?‖
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―I don‘t know you…‖ Kacy looked over the water and tried to step
away.
Ernst refused her unspoken request. Directing her face back towards
him so her eyes were watching him he said simply, ―So get to know me.‖
C H A P T E R F O U R
Ernst had let her go from the rock after she‘d given her word she
wouldn‘t run from him, then had met him thirty minutes later for breakfast.
Kacy had showered and changed into a pair of jean shorts and a dark-red
halter top. On her feet were a pair of hiking boots, and she‘d pulled her thick
hair up in a ponytail. Turned out, it was the perfect outfit to wear on a hot-air
balloon trip over an active volcano.
She talked with the guide, but eventually turned her attention away
and looked at the man who had come with her. Her shimmering gaze took in
Ernst‘s handsome form. He wore a pair of black shorts, a sleeveless light-blue
shirt that exposed the raw strength in his arms, and hiking boots. A baseball
cap adorned his head and sunglasses hid those beautiful eyes of his.
Taking off her sunglasses, she touched his shoulder and whispered,
―Are you not having fun?‖
A grin turned up one side of his mouth. ―I‘m fine.‖
She knew he was lying; there was a tenseness in his body she hadn‘t
felt before. But the fact he didn‘t want to ruin her day made her smile.
―Okay,‖ Kacy said as she slid her arm around his waist and leaned against
his chest. ―Thanks for coming with me.‖
His lips brushed along her forehead. ―You‘re welcome.‖
Kacy repositioned herself in front of his body so her back rested
against his chest and began to talk to another woman in the basket, both of
them pointing at various sights and laughing. Ernst didn‘t let her go until
after they had landed back on the ground. Even as she was saying goodbye to
the other people he held onto her.
Once they were alone and walking towards the café, she asked,
―Why didn‘t you tell me you didn‘t like heights? You know, like back when I
suggested we take the hot-air balloon ride?‖
He gave her a tight smile. ―This is your day. I am following you.‖
Kacy stopped and faced him. Putting her hands on either side of his
waist, she looked at him. As if she could see that haunting color of his eyes
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29
through both of their reflective sunglasses, she stared at him. ―Okay then,
you pick. What‘s next on the agenda, whatever you want to do.‖
He let a soft finger drift down her cheek. ―Do you like boats?‖ he
asked.
―Yes.‖ She cocked her head. ―What did you have in mind?‖
All she got was a flash of white teeth for an answer. He took her
hand and the keys, leaned in for a kiss, and then walked down to the vehicle
she had driven up here. Ernst got in on the driver‘s side and took them to his
choice of activities.
―Can I ask you something?‖ Kacy wondered. ―If it is too personal
you don‘t have to answer.‖
Keeping his eyes on the road he said, ―Go ahead.‖
―How do you manage being a SEAL if you don‘t like to fly?‖
―Not everything is done with airplanes. Big planes are easier; it is
more helicopters and hot-air balloons that get me,‖ Ernst divulged. Kacy was
mildly surprised and touched he told her.
―Are you going to tell me where you are taking me?‖ she asked as
her eyes moved over his figure.
Damn, you are one good-looking man, Ernst.
―Thank you, and no, I‘m not telling.‖ Ernst smiled as the look of
shock passed over her face. ―Yes, you did say that out loud. For the record,
you are extremely hot yourself!‖
Covering her face with her hand, she moaned, ―I can‘t believe I said
that out loud.‖
―Sweetheart, trust me, a man loves to hear that his woman thinks he
is good looking,‖ Ernst said as he pulled into the parking lot of a boat rental
place.
His woman?
Kacy bit the inside of her lip to keep her moan inside.
―Yes,
schatzi
, I said ‗his woman.‘ As in you are my woman.‖ He got
out, walked around to her side, and opened the door for her. ―Come on.‖
Hand in hand they walked up to the rental shack, not bothering to be
embarrassed he heard her that last time.
―Can I help you two?‖ the man behind the counter asked.
Ernst took his wallet out and gave some money to Kacy. ―You grab
the ice cream while I rent the boat.‖
Though unsure of how that was going to work, eating ice cream in a
canoe, Kacy nodded and said, ―Okay.‖ Taking the money, she walked
towards the ice-cream cart.
―Don‘t forget my sprinkles!‖ Ernst shouted. She waved over her
shoulder at him.
Ernst had rented them a pedal boat. So they cruised along the water
slowly eating their ice cream. ―Thank you for this, I have never been in a
pedal boat before,‖ Kacy said as she ate another bite of her ice cream. They
moved through a shaded part of the water.
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Aliyah Burke
―You seem to have an affinity for the water. And this is a relaxing
way to enjoy it.‖
Plus I get to stare at those gorgeous legs of yours.
Ernst was glad he could spend moments like these with Kacy. He‘d
gotten so much ribbing from his teammates when he‘d finally made it back to
the house where they were staying, especially when he‘d walked in wearing
the same clothes he‘d worn the night before.
―I must say, Ernst, that is a good look for you,‖ Tyson had said as he
shook his head.
―Shut up, man. We didn‘t do anything,‖ Ernst had protested.
―And we should believe that why? When you come back wearing the
same clothes you left in?‖ Dimitri had asked.
―We fell asleep down by the water. That‘s it,‖ he‘d insisted as he
walked into his room.
―What‘s your rush?‖ Dimitri had yelled at his retreating back.
―I‘m meeting her for breakfast,‖ Ernst had hollered back as he made
his way to the bathroom to take a quick shower.
Strolling back into the living area, Ernst had pulled up short at the
sight of Scott standing there with a solemn look on his face. ―Sorry, man,‖ the
top man of the Megalodon Team said. ―We have to leave.‖
Ernst had frozen as if the whole world had been jerked out from un-
der him. A million emotions had crossed his face before he could composed
himself. ―Okay, I‘ll be packed in a few.‖ He‘d almost missed Scott‘s wince, so
dejected Ernst had been.
―Aww, man, I‘m sorry. It was a joke. Go on have your fun,‖ Scott had
said, holding his hands up in apology.
Ernst was brought back to the present with Kacy‘s response. ―I have
always loved the water. I was born here in Hawaii, so maybe it is in my
blood.‖
―What about your family?‖ Ernst asked, frowning over his empty ice-
cream container and taking a spoonful of hers.
―I don‘t know them. I have a few friends that I consider family; oth-
erwise, it is just me.‖ Her voice had grown tense, probably with memories.
Well, that explains a lot of the trust issues you have, my spicy electrician.
―I‘m sorry to hear that.‖ Ernst touched her arm, amazed at how rigid her